Koreans invented a miracle cap for baldness

# Glowing Cap Against Baldness: Korean Scientists Promise a Revolution in the Fight Against Hair Loss **Researchers from South Korea have unveiled an unusual development — a flexible cap with built-in LEDs capable of stopping age-related hair loss. Laboratory tests showed impressive results: the technology suppresses aging of hair follicle cells by nearly 92%.** The project was developed by specialists from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in collaboration with colleagues from City University of Hong Kong. The research results have been published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications. ## How It Works The secret of the device lies in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) that emit near-infrared light with a wavelength of 730–740 nanometers. According to the developers, this spectrum is ideally suited for activating dermal papilla cells — those very structures at the hair root that are responsible for its growth. "Since OLED panels are thin and flexible, they can fit snugly against the curved surface of the scalp, providing uniform light stimulation across the entire area," explained electrical engineer Ken Cheol Choi from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. ## Goodbye, Bulky Helmet Existing devices for hair light therapy are typically massive helmets with lasers or conventional LEDs. The new development differs dramatically: a thin flexible cap distributes light evenly, which potentially makes treatment more effective. ## Convincing Numbers During laboratory experiments, scientists studied the effect of radiation on human dermal papilla cells. With age, these cells accumulate an aging marker — the enzyme beta-galactosidase. It is precisely by its level that the effectiveness of anti-aging treatments is evaluated. The results proved impressive: infrared light reduced the aging marker level by 92% compared to the control group. This indicator surpassed the results of red light, which is used in a number of existing devices. ## Why This Matters Today, the arsenal of hair loss remedies is quite limited. Minoxidil slows hair loss but does not help everyone. Finasteride can be effective, however it carries the risk of side effects and is contraindicated for women. Against this backdrop, interest in low-level light therapy is growing rapidly. ## What's Next "Going forward, we plan to confirm the safety and efficacy of the technology in preclinical studies and gradually evaluate its therapeutic potential," noted Choi. The team is already working on creating a fully washable version of the device that can be worn in everyday life.